Joe Cole has called out three ‘awful’ Liverpool stars as the Premier League champions were beaten 3-2 at Brentford on Saturday.

Goals from Dango Ouattara and Kevin Schade gave the Bees a two-goal cushion before Milos Kerkez got on the scoresheet before half-time.

Igor Thiago slotted home a penalty after the break with Mohamed Salah’s late goal not enough as Brentford secured three points against the Reds.

Cole, speaking in his half-time analysis for TNT Sports, blasted three Liverpool players – Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Kerkez.

Rewatching Schade’s goal for Brentford, Cole said: ‘The defending is awful from Van Dijk and Konate.

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‘But it is a beautiful pass and an unbelievable finish. Kerkez had an awful 45 minutes [in the first half].’

Fellow pundit Steve McManaman opined: ‘Liverpool have been very, very chaotic and all over the place at times.

‘They are very fortune they got a late goal [before...